To Be Reaped
by L.Harriett
Summary: The 74th Hunger Games, focusing on 4 districts who form an alliance, but one half of one other district infiltrates that alliance. Enter; district 12... [(The Hunger Games, with LotR Characters and OCs)] [{OC x Legolas, OC x Erestor, OC x Pippin, OC x Frodo}] Rated K For some violence
1. Introduction

The Hunger Games. The Capitol and the Twelve districts of Panem. The Hunger games takes two tributes, a boy and a girl, from each district. Some are careers, who tend to volunteer as they see being in and winning the games as an honor.

From the twelve districts of Panem come twenty-four tributes, six of whom are careers.

This tale tells of four tributes in particular, one career and three others…

District four's career tribute is sixteen year-old, Ellie Rouke.

The other three tributes are;  
Fourteen year-old, Kayly Scribbles, from District three.  
Fifteen year-old, Abie Karimloo, from District six.  
And sixteen year-old, Leah Oakley, from District seven.

These four tributes team up but something in their alliance goes terribly wrong.

Enter, Katniss Everdeen…


	2. The Day Before The Reaping

Leah Oakley

I run. As fast as I can, I run for the trees. Run for loneliness, for solitude, for peace and for quiet. All I want right now is to be alone, alone in the trees that District Seven cuts down for lumber. _You know you're not supposed to climb the trees, Leah! _I tell myself while finding my favorite tree, the one with the lowest branches. The easiest to climb. I, Leah Oakley, age sixteen, love this tree. Its thick branches can support ten times my weight and are low enough for me to climb easily. It would be impossible to cut down, with the branches so low. I swear that someday the lumber industry will just give this tree to the children of the district. I don't need the branches to be low; I can climb any tree I like, which I guess is an advantage, seeing as for another two, long years, I could stand a chance of being reaped for the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games. The Reaping. Tomorrow. _The reaping is tomorrow!_ My brain is screaming at me. My younger sister, Lilly Oakley, and her twin, Luke, turned twelve the day before yesterday. We had a party, which seemed odd, considering the reaping is tomorrow. In any case, their names will only be in the reaping once; I refused to let them sign up for tesserae.

meanwhile

Ellie Rouke

I run through the gate, slamming it behind me. I know Josh will be waiting for me. Sprinting, I make my way down the road, past the Victor's Village houses and down towards the training center. I know it's about four hours early, but we always do this. I, Ellie Rouke, aged sixteen, rush towards my boyfriend, Josh Tirpin, also aged sixteen. Seeing him lounging outside the doors as he always is, I spring into his arms and wish him luck, firstly for the tough training sessions he will go through today, and secondly for the reaping which is tomorrow. "I don't need luck, Ellie. I have _you_." He tells me.

"I know, you say it every day." Smiling, I give him a quick kiss, almost as quick as the speed at which I was running to get here, but he draws me back in. "You know we shouldn't…" I begin to whisper before his lips touch mine.

"I know," he whispers back. If my parents knew, I would be stuck in the house until the reaping tomorrow, giving me a slight disadvantage in training. But who cares when I've been training since I could walk? I've taken the tesserae to increase my chances of being reaped, but I'm sixteen and there are other girls who are eighteen and will have their names in the reaping more times than me. If I don't get reaped, I can volunteer, but I have to be quick if I want the honor of being in the Hunger games, as the first volunteer gets the spot. Josh has done the same as I have. I don't want to kill him if we are both in the Games, but I would do almost anything to win the glory. Almost…

meanwhile

Abie Karimloo

I walk. Just walk; nothing more. With no real purpose or destination, I continue to walk. Down the road, turn left, past the warehouse, turn right, through the square, turn left again, down the road, dead end. Stopping to take a look at the few trees we have here in District Six, I take the time to think random thoughts. _The reaping is tomorrow. I am the youngest in my family and therefore stand the least chance of being reaped tomorrow. My family is my mum, my dad, my sister-Ruth and my brother-Tim. Ruth just turned twenty so she won't be reaped, Tim is seventeen and I'm fifteen so we both stand a chance of being reaped, Tim more so as he signed up for the tesserae when Ruth turned eighteen, two years ago. I'll have to sign up next year… _Suddenly my thoughts are interrupted when someone says my name. Turning around, I open my mouth to rant at whoever spoke, but then I see him...

His emerald green eyes, his curly ginger locks over his brow; the cheeky smile across his face that spells mischief.  
"Hi Abie." I smile.  
"Pippin." He gives me a flash of that grin that spells even more mischief. "You interrupted some very deep thoughts of mine."  
"Thoughts about me I hope." I laugh.  
"No, sorry Pip."  
"What about then?" He asks me curiously.  
"The reaping, mostly." I hang my head.  
"Don't worry about it, you'll be fine."  
"Sure?" He gives me a rare, reassuring smile.  
"Positive."

meanwhile

Kayly Scribbles

Sitting on my bed and not really thinking about much, I begin to draw a picture. "A head there, an ear and another ear, a pink nose," I begin to talk myself through what I'm drawing so I don't lose concentration, "Two legs, a belly, another two legs, three tails," I begin to laugh quietly as I draw a fox with three tails. I color it in orange with a hint of red, leaving the tips of two tails white and the other black. One ear black with a bite mark in it. Now for the background, "A star here, a scribble there, A cluster of stars in that space, some more scribbles and a few squares and circles dotted around the place. What harm can it do, really?"

Shading the background green and blue, I laugh even more. Hearing the door open, I look up to see my brother, Jake, walk in my room. "What?"  
"Dad wants you." I sigh.  
"Why?"  
"Dunno. Why were you laughing?" I show him my drawing and he begins to laugh. "A fox with three tails?"  
"Yep."  
"Awesome."  
"KAYLY!" I hear my dad calling me.  
"Out of my room, Jake!" I say as I go to see what dad wants...

Downstairs, I find dad waiting for me, impatiently.  
"Kayly," I sit down.  
"Yeah?" He looks at me, sternly.  
"Why were you laughing?"  
"I drew a fox with three tails." Dad rolls his eyes at me.  
"The reaping is tomorrow, Kayly."  
"And? There are loads of other people in district three, dad." He sighs.  
"How many times will your name be in the reaping this year, Kayly?"  
"Three plus tesserae."  
"What's the tesserae each year?"  
"Four."  
"Four threes?"  
"Twelve."  
"Twelve plus three?"  
I'm getting bored now, "Fifteen, why?"  
"Your name is in the reaping fifteen times, Kayly! You should care about such things, not everyone takes tesserae!"  
"Not everyone has under fourteen slips, dad!"  
"I don't care! You should still be careful!"  
"So let Jake sign up for tesserae then!"  
"Jake is eleven, he can't!"  
"Let him do it next year then!"  
"Your brother is NOT taking the tesserae!"  
"So just let me die then!" With that, I run back upstairs to my room and slam the door. I want to be left alone...


	3. The Morning Of The Reaping

Leah Oakley

I awaken to the smell of porridge over-riding the burning aromas of district seven's lumber industry. Reluctantly, I get out of bed and wander through to the kitchen-dining room where I find my mum and twin twelve year old siblings at the breakfast table eating porridge with a fourth bowl of the stuff set aside for me.  
"Your father's at work," Mum gestures to my seat at the table, "He'll finish in time for the reaping." Taking my place, I begin to shovel down the porridge so that I can get to the lumber trees and see my dad before I have to get ready for the reaping.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Hey dad!" My dad looks up from the tree he's attacking with an axe.  
"Leah, what are you doing here?" I run into my dad's arms as he drops his axe.  
"Aren't you going to wish me luck?" Dad pulls away from our hug and raises his eyebrows. "What?!"  
"Good luck." I smile stupidly.  
"Thanks dad." He hugs me again before I have to leave and dad has to get back to work.  
As I turn to leave, my dad suddenly calls me back.  
"Leah, wait!" I turn to face him; my face drops when I see four men walking towards my tree with axes.  
"NO!"

meanwhile

Ellie Rouke

Having woken up extra early, I have already had breakfast, washed and dried my hair. Currently, I am letting mother straighten my hair. When my hair is straight, my Yorkshire Terrier, called Fang, helps me pick out a frock for the reaping. I put it on then go to see Josh; he isn't there. I wait for a minute but he doesn't show. "Five more minutes," I tell myself, "He'll be here in five minutes." After fifteen minutes, Josh still hasn't come, so I decide to leave.  
Half way home, I run into someone and fall over."Sorry," I hear a male voice say as a pale hand reaches out to help me up.  
"No, it's my-" I begin as I look at the person's face, "I haven't seen you around."  
"Glad you noticed," He laughs, "Aragorn Thranduilion"  
"Ellie Rouke." He smiles.  
"Nice to meet you."  
"And you, but I must go, sorry."  
"Nice frock!" He calls as I walk hurriedly away.  
"It's for the reaping!" I through over my shoulder.  
Soon, he's gone, but I run straight into Josh...  
"Ellie," My boyfriend holds me by the shoulders.  
"Josh. Sorry, I have to-"I move to go past him but he stops me. "Josh, the reaping-"  
"Can wait. Who were you talking to?"  
"Are you checking up on me now?" He raises his eyebrows the way everyone does when they want to get something out of me; it always works. "Just a guy."  
"Elaborate?"  
"His name is Aragorn, I haven't seen him around before and he has wavy black hair which is way better than your hair."  
"What are you saying?"  
"I wanna break up." His face goes from stern to upset.  
"What?" I can't look at him.  
"I'm breaking up with you."  
"Because of him?"  
"I'm sorry." I push past him and walk away.  
"I HATE YOU!" He calls after me.  
"I HATE YOU TOO!" I shout back before I start running.

meanwhile

Abie Karimloo

_That one looks like a sausage dog!" Pippin's older cousin, Meriadoc Brandybuck, points to one of the clouds above our heads.  
"Really?" Pippin sits up from where he was laying on the grass with Merry and me. "I thought that was a banana!"  
"Of course you would, Pip," I laugh, "All you ever think about is food!" Merry and I sit up to join Pippin. "Cloud watching is fun, but I'm bored now."  
"Yeah, me too. Let's go do something else, Pip." Says Merry, standing up.  
"What about those trees and lake over there?" Pippin stands up and points a little way into the distance.  
"Race ya!" I jump up and start running, with Pippin hot on my heels and Merry standing, watching us. Faster, I run ahead and climb a tree. Pippin catches up but seems to be lost.  
"Abie? Abie, where'd you go?"  
"Watch out below!" I cannon-ball into the lake and Pippin dives in, laughing. We splash around for about an hour before climbing out of the lake and laying in the sun.  
"Abie," I turn to Pippin.  
"Yeah?"  
"Can I tell you a secret?" I prop myself up on my elbows.  
"You know you can, Pip." He sitis up, looks around and whispers.  
"I love you."  
"I love you too."..._  
"Abie!" A vigorous shaking wakes me from my dream.  
"What?" It's Ruth.  
"You have to get get up now!"  
"Why?"  
"The reaping's in an hour!"  
I sit up, "Alright, alright, I'm up."  
"Mum's prepared a bowl of hot water for you to wash your hair and I've laid out your frock-"  
"FROCK?! I am NOT wearing a frock!"  
"I know you don't want to, but you have to. Now go and get ready!"  
I fall out of bed and trudge through to the kitchen. MumMum has left me some breakfast so I sit down and eat it before finding the bowl of hot water that Ruth told me about. I was my hair; then get Ruth to style it into a single, long, ginger braid down the back of my neck, to my back. Ruth forces me to put on my frock before I leave to see Pippin before the reaping.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"PIPPIN!" I shout, running towards the ginger haired boy walking away from me, "PIPPIN!" He continues to walk away, "PEREGRIN TOOK!" At last he turns around and I can see why he was reluctant to face me at first. "Pippin, what happened?" He attempts to hide the blue and purple bruise around his left eye and hangs his head. "Pip, you can tell me."  
"Merry and I, we had a fight."  
"Then what?"  
"Dad was out, he came home in the middle of the fight."  
"Let me guess, he was so drunk he hit you both."  
"Yes, he was drunk, but he didn't hit us both. He took Merry's side and replaced me."  
"He threw you out?"  
"He threw me out after he hit me."  
"Let's get you sorted out for the reaping."

meanwhile

Kayly Scribbles

The last thing my parents trust me with, paint and a paint brush. I'm sat in my room painting on the morning of the reaping.

"Kayly," Jake walks in my room, again.

"Hi Jake hi!"

"Kayly, mum wants you."

"OK!" I finish my painting and run through to the kitchen with it. "Hi mum, hi hi hi!"

"Kayly, look at you, all covered in paint. How in all of Panem are we going to wash this off?"

"WASH? NO!"

"Eat your breakfast, Kayly." I eat my breakfast as fast as I can; then go to run back to my room with my painting. "Where are you going, Kayly?" Mum stops me half way.

"To paint!"

"No, Kayly."

"Why?"

"Because if you do, you'll get paint all over your dress."

"So? I like being covered in paint!"

"Just get your dress on, Kayly, and no more painting!"

I run into by bedroom and throw the painting on my bed. I grab my dress from the draw and throw it on the floor. "It can stay there until I put it on." I sya to myself. I strip off and put my dress on then grab some paper and pens and scribble. Scribbling is my favourite thing to do as a hobby, which is quite ironic, seeing as my name is Kayly Scribbles. Everyone else I know like to be sensible. Not me! I like to be hyper. Oh well, I guess they are all missing out on the good life, but I'm not! Even my best friend, Jordan is a bit more sensible than I am, but she is still really funny to be around. I guess I have to be boring today. I put down my pens and go back to the kitchen for mum to do my hair. I hate when she has to do my hair. Leaving it down is my first choice, but mum puts it in pigtails, no matter how much I complain. My hair is short and brown for a reason: I don't like having it tied up.


	4. Showtime!

Leah Oakley

Sprinting past my dad and towards my tree, I scream, "What are you thinking? Don't cut her down! Please! Daddy, help me!"  
"Sorry kid." Says one man.  
"We've got orders." Another man adds.  
"I don't care about orders!" I yell at them, "Leave my tree alone!"  
"Your tree?" a third man stops his advance, bemused.  
"Leave the tree, Mark." My dad steps in, standing beside me, protecting the tree. I smile up at him.  
"Step aside, Terry!" The fourth man warns.  
"No, Ian. I won't back off. My daughter loves this tree, so you would do well to leave it alone."  
"Look, Terry, I don't want to hurt you... Or your kid." Says the first man.  
"I'm not a kid!" I shout.  
"Jim, how long have we been friends?" Dad asks the firs man, Jim, I presume.  
"A long time." Jim says.  
"So why don't you let me take the tree off your hands?"  
"What are you saying, Terry?" Asks the second man.  
"I'm saying, Timothy, that I want to buy this tree."  
You've got to be joking!" Says the third man, Mark.  
"Leah, go home for the reaping, I'll be there soon."  
"But dad, the tree-" I begin to protest but dad cuts me off.  
"-will be fine. Now go."  
"Alright."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Leah, where have you been?" Asks mum.  
"Leah, Leah, Leah!" Lily runs towards me, around our mum.  
"Hi, Lily," I give her a tight hug before turning to mum, "I was with dad, we ran into trouble."  
"What sort of trouble?" mum asks as Lily looks up at me.  
"They want to cut down my tree, but dad just said he wants to buy it; then he sent me home." I explain.  
"Do you think he could be negotiating?" mum asks me.  
"Maybe, ha did say the tree would be fine. I hope he saves it."  
"Hope, hope!" Says Lily.  
"You want to learn how to climb, don't you Lily?" I ask her.  
"Yes! I want to be just like you!" she replies.  
"Yes, well, Leah, go and get the both of you ready for the reaping. We shall have to go very soon." Mum ushers us into our bedroom.  
"What about Luke?" I ask.  
"I'll sort Luke out, don't you worry." Says mum.  
"OK. Come on, Lily." And so we both go to get ready for the reaping.  
"I open our wardrobe and pull out a white dress with blue birds on it and hold it up to Lily. She strips off her simple might dress and I halep her into the one I'm holding. Beautiful." I say, braiding her long hair in three small braids, one down her back and one over each shoulder.  
"Now you!" She says excitedly, so I pull out my favorite dress. It's scarlet red with blue gems on one shoulder. Styling my hair the same way I did Lily's, I think about how similar we look. The same dirty-blonde hair, the same sapphire blue eyes, and the way we are both tall and slim. Suddenly I hear Lily's shimmery, angelic voice beside me.  
"You're my favorite sister." Smiling, I look down at her to see that she is also staring, in awe, at ourselves in the mirror.  
"I'm your only sister." I cross the room to my jewelry box, followed by Lily, and pull out two necklaces, one with a blue pendant in the shape of a cross and one with a red pendant, also in the shape of a cross. I place the red one around Lily's neck and the other around my own. I then pull out two silver bracelets, each with a silver heart charm. Planting one on Lily's wrist and the other on my own, we go to meet mum outside and together, we head for the square. _It's showtime!_ I think to myself.

meanwhile

Ellie Rouke

I keep running. All the way home, I run, through the gate, into the houswe, I'm still running. I run into my bedroom, slam the door, throw myself on the bed with Fang and cry.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Ellie," I hear my mother's voice on the other side of the door, "Ellie, a boy is here to see you."  
"Who is it?" I ask  
"His name is Legolas Thranduilion. He says you met his brother, Aragorn Thranduilion?"  
"Send him in." I sit up as the door opens and a tall boy with long blond hair that's just under shoulder-length walks in.  
"Hello, Ellie."  
"Hello."  
"You met my brother."  
"Yes."  
"He doesn't know I know."  
"How do you know then?"  
"I was watching you."  
"What?"  
"I saw you in training and decided to keep an eye on you."  
"Why?"  
"I see you as a threat."  
"What sort of threat?" He leans in close to me.  
"I know about Josh." He whispers.  
"No," my heart skips a beat.  
"Yes. And if you mess with Aragorn the way you mess with Josh, God help you girl."  
"Why?"  
"I'm sixteen and lethal with a bow."  
"Well you've got a challenge on your hands then." I laugh.  
"Why?"  
"I'm sixteen and lethal with a knife. Now get out before I get my hands on one."  
"Hah! What use is a knife?" I grab a knife and throw it. The knife almost skins Legolas' face and neatly plants itself in the dead center of a poster I have on my door.  
"I said get out." Legolas leaves and I hear him talking to mother. I wait about ten minutes after hearing the door shut before I take the knife out of the door, put it in my boot and go to get mother and leave for the reaping.  
"Come on mother, I'll get the glory. Don't you worry." Arriving at the square, I have to be separated from mother, so I turn to her and whisper, "Showtime!"

meanwhile

Abie Karimloo

Pippin and I walk home and meet my mum outside the door, "Mum, you remember Peregrin Took?"  
"Yes, of course I do Abigail - Oh my! Peregrin, what happened?"  
"My dad hit me," He glances at me and I nod, "And he threw me out."  
"Oh, you poor dear. Let's get you fixed up, shall we?" Mum takes Pippin into the kitchen and gives him some bread and a little bit of porridge, warmed up. When he's finished eating, I tak his bowl away and mum looks at his eye more closely. She uses some powders to cover up the bruise and make it less visible. Mum also applies some of the powders to Pippin's right eye so the left eye doesn't look out of place.  
"Good as new!" I say as Tim walks in.  
"Hey Pip! What happened to you?" I glare at Tim because Pippin is my friend, not his.  
"He so likes you." I have the shock of my life as Ruth whispers in my ear.  
"What?"  
"And you couldn't make it look any more obvious that you like him back."  
"I do not!"  
"Don't lie to me Abie. You talk about him in your sleep." With that, she goes to our room, leaving me staring at Pippin.  
_Does he really like me?_ I wonder. Tim takes Pippin into his room _to get some clothes _I presume.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

When they come out again, Pippin looks so smart, almost a different person. He has a green shirt, a black leather jacket and a pair of smart, black trousers. I hate to say it, but Tim has done a good job.

Soon, it's time to leave. We make our way to the square where we have to separate into boys, girls and non-tributes. "Showtime." I whisper to Pippin before we go our own ways.

meanwhile

Kayly Scribbles

My hair is done so I run back to my bedroom but mum stops me, "Oh no you don't."  
"Mum!"  
"No more painting."  
"I wasn't gonna paint!"  
"What were you going to do then?"  
"Draw!"  
"No."  
"Why?"  
"You'll get pen all over you're dress."  
"No I won't!"  
"Kayly, do as your mum says" Dad shouts from the table. "We're going now, come on."  
"For the reaping?" I ask.  
"Yes Kayly." Says mum.  
"YAY! Let's go!"  
"KAYLY!" Mum and dad both shout at me.  
"What?"  
"The reaping isn't a good thing, Kayly." Says dad.  
"Twenty three children die." Says mum.  
"I don't wanna die!" Says Jake.  
"You won't die, son." Dad tells him.  
"Neither do I, particularly, but it must be fun to die!" Everyone just looks at me in silence, as if I'm crazy. Why? I don't know. "Come on! It's showtime!"  
"It is indeed." Says mum, and we leave for the reaping.


	5. The Reaping

Leah Oakley

Standing, cramped between other girls my age, I look around. It's not like I haven't seen this all before, but I'm looking for Lily and Luke.

I spot Lily in front of all the girls, small and sweet on her blue and white dress with the gold chain around her neck, holding the red cross pendant. Touching my own, blue cross pendant, I whisper, "Good luck, my little flower." I look towards the boys to find Luke, but my attention is caught bu another boy. He has sapphire blue eyes, like mine, only more penetrating, and curly brown hair. _Have you seen him before? _I ask myself.I remove my attention from this strangely familiar boy and search for my brother. Spotting him, I can now full take in how mum dressed him. As far as I can see, he has black trousers, a black leather jacket and I can see a pale blue collar around the neck of the jacket. _Good. _I think to myself. _She hasn't gone over the top._

The mayor, the escort and the mentor walk on stage and sit down. The escort walks to the front of the stage and, with that capitol accent, recites the same speech as every year before. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She ends in the very same motto. She crosses the stage to the glass ball with the girls' names in it. Digging deep, she pulls out a slip and for a moment, everyone stops breathing as she calls out the name; "Lily Oakley!" _NO!_ I don't only stop breathing, my heart stops beating and I am momentarily paralyzed to the spot as I watch my baby sister, my little flower, walk timidly towards the stage.  
"No," At first, my voice is small, "NO!" I begin moving towards Lily, "LILY! I VOLUNTEER" The crowd gasps in shock as I push my sister behind me. "I volunteer."  
"Well, how about that?!" Exclaims the escort, "For the first time in years, we have a volunteer! What's your name, deary?"  
"Leah Oakley."

"Well, Leah Oakley, welcome to the Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor! Now for the boys!" She crosses to the boys' glass ball and reaches right into the bottom. The crowd holds a breath as she pulls out the slip, "Luke Oakley!" I don't believe it! Both of them!? How is it possible that they could both be reaped?"  
"I volunteer!" _What? Who said that? _I scour the crowd of boys to see if I can spot any sign of movement. None.  
"Did someone volunteer?" Asks the escort.  
"Yes," a boy emerges from the crowd with his hand in the air, "I did." The boy has sapphire blue eyes, like mine, only more penetrating, and curly brown hair. It's the boy I saw earlier.  
"Oh my," says the escort, "two volunteers in one year, it's a record for district seven! Well, son, what's your name?"  
"Frodo Baggins."

meanwhile

Ellie Rouke

I stand with the other girls, waiting for the reaping to start. _Come on! I want to win the Hunger Games, not wait a year!"_ Eventually, the mayor, the escort and the mentor walk on stage. The escort takes center stage and recites the same speech that she always does on the reaping. _Oh, come on! Get over with it! I want in!_ "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" _About time she finished!_ "Ladies first!" She crosses to the stage to the glass balls with name slips in. She plunges her arm into the girls' ball and just as she pulls out a slip of paper...  
"I VOLUNTEER!" I shout as I push my way through the rest of the girls and strut up to the stage.  
"What's your name?" Asks the escort.  
"Elanor Rouke."  
"Welcome to the Hunger Games, Elanor Rouke, and may the odds-"  
"Be ever in your favor. I know, I know, now can we get on with it?"  
"Yes, well, right. Boys next!" She crosses to the glass ball with the boys' names in it and shoves her hand in it. The boys let the escort pull out the slip and read the name, "Aragorn Thranduilion!" Aragorn begins walking towards the stage with pride.  
"I volunteer!" Legolas runs out from the crowd of boys, right up to the stage.  
"What-"  
"Legolas Thranduilion."  
"Welcome to the Hunger Games, Legolas Thranduilion, and may the odds be ever in your favor."  
We shake hands and at this moment, the games have begun.

meanwhile

Abie Karimloo

I stand quivering with anxiety - I don't know why, the reaping shouldn't, _doesn't_, scare me. But something stirs in my bones uneasily, and my bones are never wrong.

The mayor, escort and mentor walk on the stage and my quivers turn to short, high-pitched whimpers. I have never been this scared before, not even when Tim signed up for tesserae and I was sure he would get reaped like Ruth did. But Tim didn't have friends to volunteer for him like Ruth did.

"Ladies first!" I jolt back to reality. I didn't even hear the speech, but it's not like I missed anything important. The escort's hand plunges into the first glass ball and as she pulls the slip of paper out of the glass ball, the crowd draws a breath and my legs turn to jelly. "Abigail Karimloo!" Everything goes black and I hear a quiet thud, the last thing that fades away before the complete silence.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My eyes flicker open, only to shut immediately, as the sun is so bright I can't stand it. After about a minute, I slowly open my eyes and, even more slowly, they adjust. Blinking a bit, _a lot_, I look at the faces around me. Grey eyes and purple hair - escort. Green eyes and brown hair - mentor. Blue eyes and short, grey hair - mayor. Looking at the person holding my hand, I see green eyes and curly ginger hair.  
"Hey Pip." He blushes and drops my hand. Someone hands me a glass of water as I sit up, and I see that it's Ruth. She gives me a sympathetic look. "What's wrong?" I ask her.  
"Abigail Karimloo?" Asks the escort.  
"Yes, why?" I look at Tim, who wears the same sympathetic look as Ruth. "What's going on?" I ask.  
"Abie," Says Pippin, "You don't have friends to volunteer for you like Ruth did."  
Suddenly, it all comes rushing back to me, the feeling in my bones, my missing the speech, my name being pulled out of the glass ball, and the thud I heard as I fainted. Slowly, I stand up and and walk, with the escort, mentor and mayor, to the stage. The reaping proceeds as the escort shoves her hand in the glass balls with the boys' names in it. _It's OK. I don't care who it is. I don't really know any boys, anyway. And there's a very high chance we'll die anyway, so I don't mind dying. Besides, my time will come someday._ The crowd holds it's breath as breath, waiting for another reaction like mine when the escort reads the name on the slip of paper she has in her hand.  
"Peregrin Took!"_ No! No, no, no, no, no! Not Pippin! It's a nightmare! I can die, but not Pippin! Please, not Pippin! He's not going to die! I love him too much!_

meanwhile

Kayly Scribbles

Waiting eagerly, I get a tingly feeling in my toes. Pins and needles? Nope. The escort, mentor and mayor walk on the stage and the escort says the speech. "Come on, come on, I wanna know who's gonna die!" I whisper, gaining looks from people around me. I watch intently as her hand goes into the glass ball and pull a piece of paper out. She reads it.  
"Kayly Scribbles!"  
"YES!" I yell and run forwards. I run right onto the stage.  
"Now for the boys!" She pulls the slip out of the glass ball and reads it. I don't listen to the name, but I see a boy walking towards the stage with long, straight brown hair and brown eyes. The escort make us shake hands, so I whisper to him.  
"I didn't hear you're name."  
"Erestor." He whispers back  
"Let the 74th Hunger Games begin." I whisper with a smile.


	6. Final Goodbyes

Leah Oakley

Sitting alone in the room laden with silk an velvet, I wait for my family to walk through the door directly opposite the sofa I'm pacing in front of. I watch the door knob intently, it twists, ever so slightly to the right. I stop pacing. No more movement comes from the door knob, but I hear dad telling mum to calm down. I consider sitting down, but decide against it. The door knob slowly turns all the way and the door opens. I see Lily in front of me. "You shouldn't have done it." She whispers with a tear rolling down her cheek.  
"What?" I'm puzzled, but I have no time to work out what she just said before she is hugging me so tight that it's almost impossible to breath.  
"Leah," Mum walks in, "You saved your baby sister."  
"Yeah, I did. I guess." Next thing I know, Mum is hugging me too. So much so that it is getting even harder to breath. Luke doesn't say anything when he comes in, he just runs to us and finds his way to the center of the group hug to hug me. I see dad.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

They're all sitting on the red, velvet sofa, dad and I standing, facing each other, arms crossed. We haven't said anything for twenty minutes. "We're going to run out of time." I say, breaking the eerie silence of the room. He hugs me. "Dad..."  
"I'm sorry. I missed it."  
"Dad...?"  
"The tree. The battle for the tree. I missed the reaping for your tree."  
"My tree? You mean you won?!"  
"Not yet."  
"Not yet? What do you mean not yet?" The peace keepers come in to usher my family away, so I scream after dad, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOT YET?!" Then, the door is closed and my throat is sore so I can't scream any more. It was our final goodbye, and we didn't even say goodbye.

meanwhile

Ellie Rouke

Waiting. Bored, but waiting. It's not like I can go anywhere, I just want to see Fang. I promised him I would do it this time...  
_**"I'm finally ready," I said, "I'm going to volunteer, I'll be the most dangerous tribute in the 74th Hunger Games. When I win, everyone in all of the districts will bow down before me, including all of the victors. I'll get the glory, Fang. Don't you worry about that." He growled and I didn't understand why, he should have been happy that I was finally ready, not growling at me. Oh well. Now I'm a part of it. I'm on the road to glory, I will have it all.**_  
But still, no-one comes. Finally, the doorknob turns and I stand up to face mother. The door swings open and she's not there. And Fang doesn't come rushing in towards me. I don't see a Yorkshire Terrier anywhere. "Fang?!" I call out.  
"They won't let any pets in, that includes Fang, _love_."  
"What about mother?"  
"She didn't wan to see you."  
"And you know this, how?"  
"She would have come to see you if she'd wanted to, wouldn't she?"  
"So why are _you_ here? Just to tell me that my mother doesn't want to see me? To put me down before the games? Trust me, that won't work."  
"I'm here because I wanted to say goodbye, and good luck."  
"But I thought you hated me."  
"I thought you hated me too."  
"I didn't want you to come in the first place."  
"Good luck Ellie. And whatever you do," he leans in to whisper in my ear, "get out of it alive."  
"Go away, Josh. I don't want to see you...EVER again." I push him back through the door and slam it shut behind him. He's gone. I say my final goodbye that I planned to thin air, speaking through the district to mother and Fang. "I'll see you when I get back. I don't need luck, I have skill. And about 11 years training. And love."

meanwhile

Abie Karimloo  
Who's going to come waltzing through that door? Mum? Dad? Ruth? Tim? Anyone? I have to see them. I can't not see them, not before my certain death. The doorknob turns, the door swings open, they're all there. Mum, Ruth, and Tim. "Abigail..." _Wait, where's Dad?!_ Mum hugs me. When we break apart, Ruth hugs me too.  
"Good luck, little sis."  
"I'm not little." I tell her.  
"I know." We break apart and she smiles. Next is Tim, but I don't expect him to hug me so I just hold my hand out to him, and the most extraordinary thing happens. He hugs me.  
"Good luck, Abie."  
"Thank you." I'm feeling just a little uncomfortable now, but I don't say anything. We break up and everyone stands in silence. "Well," I say after about 5 minutes, "I guess this is goodbye."  
"Don't say that!" Says Ruth.  
"It's kinda true, though. I'm going to my certain death, so if we don't say goodbye now, then we never will have said goodbye before I died."  
"Don't say that either!" Says Tim.  
"We love you, Abigail, and you're right. This is goodbye."  
"MUM!" Ruth and Tim yell at once.  
"For now." She finishes. "Come on, I think there's someone waiting out side to see her." She says, as if I'm not even here. They leave, but Ruth stops in the doorway. She doesn't turn around, but she says.  
"Good bye, Abie. Final goodbye."  
"Bye, Ruth." Then it's just me again, wondering why my dad hadn't come with them. The handle turns again. "Dad?" I ask, expecting my dad to walk in. But someone else comes in the room. "Merry?! Shouldn't you be with your cousin?"  
"He told you about what happened between us, didn't he?"  
"So what if he did?"  
"I'm sorry. Tell him I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt him."  
"_You_ didn't. his father did. Get out of my sight."  
He turns and leaves, and I don't stop him. I wont say a word of this to Pippin. It'll just upset him. Now, Merry's just put in me the fire I need to do the best I can to win the 74th Hunger Games. Tributes, look out.

meanwhile

Kayly Scribbles  
I like this. I'm in the 74th Hunger Games and I'm certainly going to die. This is the happiest day of my life!

I watch the doorknob turn as my mum enters the room, bawling her eyes out. "Kayly..." She manages to stutter.  
"Aw, don't cry mum." I say, standing up. "This is the happiest day of my life!"  
"But... You... You're going to... To die..."  
"EXACTLY!"


	7. Train To The Capitol

_**aA/N: Just for the train ride, we're going to narrate the story in third person, just because all of our four tirbutes are in one place. Thanks for reading! Harriett & Victorie**___

'I never even said goodbye to my dad. The last time we spoke, I was screaming at him. He never told me everything he wanted. However, I won't cry. I won't let myself look weak, especially if I was going to spend the next day on a train with 23 other tributes. I could promise myself that much, at least'.

Leah was glad she didn't cry. The station was completely littered with reporters. Among the numerous reporters, she saw Frodo, talking to a group of women, who all held notebooks and were scribbling frantically.  
"Hey." she said, striding towards them.  
"Oh, hey." Said Frodo, turning to find her standing mere centimeters away from him.  
"Can I talk to you, for a second?"  
"Sure." He said, puzzled. "Excuse me a moment, ladies," He politely threw over his shoulder as Leah lead him away and the women scribble more notes in their books.

"What's up?" He asked, as if it were as casual as a coffee in a cafe.  
"Why did you volunteer for my brother?"  
"Why, is that a problem?"  
"Well yeah, he's my _brother_."  
"Well if you _really_ want to know..."  
"Just tell me, Frodo."  
"I saw the fear in your eyes." Stunned, Leah's jaw dropped. "Good-day, to you." And with that he walked away, just as the train arrived, having already been to Districts twelve, eleven, ten, nine and eight.

Leah stepped onto the train and found herself surrounded by red and gold velvet. The windows were lined with gold, silken curtains. _Wow._ Then, the doors slid shut behind her, and she jumped forwards in shock.  
Finding a red, velvet couch, she sat down and waited for the train to pick up the other tributes. There were already 5 pairs sat around her, and she was temped to listen into their conversations. That was before Frodo sat next to her.  
"You walked off." She said, not taking her eyes off of the window, opposite them.  
"I know." He replied, as if it didn't mean a thing.  
"What do you mean, you 'saw the fear in my eyes' when my brother was reaped?" Frodo stared into her eyes, searching for an emotion.  
"That, right there."  
"What?"  
"You're confused. Confused by me, and my way to see stuff in people's eyes. Especially fear." Yes, Leah was confused, but those are like, the two easiest emotions to spot! Fear and confusion, but that doesn't explain _why _he volunteered to save her brother's butt.

However, she didn't have time to ask him anymore questions, as the train pulled up at the District six station and two more tributes boarded.

Both tributes were ginger and looked younger then Leah.  
"By the way," she turned to Frodo. "How old are you?"  
"Sixteen. And yourself?"  
"Sixteen, too."  
"You don't look it." It was true. Frodo _was_ taller then Leah, but she still found that a little insulting. Although, Leah found herself guessing the rough age of the District six tributes.

_How old are __they__? They don't look sixteen. Then again, Frodo doesn't. He looks seventeen. But he's sixteen. So. I wonder how old these two are? They __look__ around fourteen or fifteen. Possibly. I wonder what Frodo thinks. I'm not going to ask him. And I'm not going to ask __them__. Oh, why is life so... Difficult?_

These two new tributes were, in fact, Abie Karimloo and Pippin Took, both fifteen years old. The deluxe decor of the train took Abie by surprise, and Pippin had to pull her to the side, before the doors slid shut, decapitating her. There were few tear stains on her freckled cheeks, as she had been upset after her heart-breaking goodbye with her family, and why hadn't her father gone to say goodbye? Why had Merry gone to see her, and not Pippin? Should she tell Pippin about what Merry had said to her? She decided against telling Pippin, but she wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do.

Across the train, Abie and Leah stared at each-other a lot, and didn't notice that the train had stopped at two districts since Abie and Pippin had boarded the train. They both looked up as the doors closed, to see two career tributes, both with long, straight, blonde hair. Both girls were in awe. But then Abie was dragged away by Pippin, and these new tributes sat where Abie and Pippin had been.

"Leah," Frodo said, standing up. "I'm going to go and get something to eat. You coming?"  
Leah looked up at him, from these two tributes, "I'll be with you in a bit."  
"Alright." Leah began twiddling her thumbs as, across the train, exactly the same thing happened between the two blonds. However, instead of twiddling her thumbs, the blonde girl stood up and walked over to Leah.  
"Can I sit here?"  
"What? Oh, yeah, sure."  
"Thanks." They sat in silence for all of thirty seconds. "I need an Ally in the games who isn't from my own district." The blonde said, as the train left the District four station. "Someone that no-one will expect... Of a career."  
"And you chose me because..."  
"You look like a better choice than anyone else here."  
"How did you work that one out?"  
"Just think about it, okay?"  
"I thought about it."  
"And...?"  
"And I think everyone needs some additional allies. I'm in."  
"Great, but we can't appear to be allies in training."  
"I know. So we hate each-other during those times. Okay?"  
"Perfect."  
"Wait!" Leah exclaimed, as the blonde stood up. "What's your name?"  
"Elanor Rouke. Yours?"  
"Leah Oakley. Age?"  
"Sixteen. You?"  
"Sixteen."  
"Good."  
"Bye."

Elanor Rouke left to join the male tribute from District four, just as the train arrived at District three and a bubbly, hyper, girl with short brown hair boarded the train and started squealing.

"Hi everyone! I'm Kayly! I'm fourteen years old and... I'M IN THE HUNGER GAMES! WOO!" Everyone else on the train stared in disgust at this strange girl. Everyone except Abie, who looked at her in sympathy, knowing that she was probably sending herself to certain death.

The train then swept through Districts two and one, picking up the last four (of six) career tributes, with no drama. From District one, the train carried on to the Capitol. The one place where the twenty four tributes would soon commence training. The place where the 74th Hunger Games would finally begin.


	8. Training Begins

Leah Oakley  
After breakfast, Frodo and I make our way down to the training center with the other tributes. When we enter the lift that will take us down to the training center, there are already two pairs of tributes waiting for us; the District four tributes, and the District three tributes; Elanor, the slightly crazy girl named Kayly, and the two boys.  
"Hi!" The crazy girl exclaims as Elanor and I share a glance. "I'm Kayly!" Elanor rolls her eyes and I nod. "And we're all going to die!"  
"And you're actually happy about that?!" I snap at her.  
"Yeah!" I can't stand this girl.  
"Right..." I turn to Frodo, hoping she will leave me alone.

Elanor Rouke  
When the lift doors open for a third time, I see my new ally and the boy from her District, standing in front of me. _My, my, my. What a coincidence. _They enter the lift and the doors close. The annoying girl from District three begins squealing again. "Hi! I'm Kayly! And we're all going to die!" She said exactly the same thing to me when I first entered the lift, but I half threatened her and she shut up. Now, however, Leah Oakley won't shut her up.  
"And you're actually happy about that?!"  
"Yeah!"  
"Right..." Even after they've stopped talking to each-other, little miss District three continues mumbling, partially to herself and partially to her district partner. I can't stand her.

Abie Karimloo  
I find Pippin in the dining room. "Hey, Pip." When he doesn't respond, I sit opposite him, crossing my arms on the table and resting my chin on them. "Pip? You okay?"  
"Hmm." Is his only response.  
"You _can_ talk to me. You know that, right?"  
"It's just..." He begins, as I see a tear drop splash onto the table, and I know.  
"No one came to see you, did they?" Pippin shakes his head. But the he lifts his head to me.  
"Someone did."  
"Who?"  
"Your dad." Wait, did he say _my_ dad?  
"Pip..."  
"He told me to look after you and no matter what, to get you out of there alive. He doesn't care how. He just wants you to survive it." My dad went to see Pippin, and not me? Then again, Merry came to see me instead of going to see Pippin, but this is different. "He told me not to tell you." _Should I tell him about Merry? _I contemplate. _He told me about my dad when he told him not to, what should I do?!_  
"Shh, it's okay, Pip. We're gonna be okay."  
"No it's not. The last thing that happened at home was that I hated Merry and my dad, and now twenty three of us have to die. I don't want to die, Abie. But I don't want you to die, either."  
"We'll both get out. I don't know how, but we will. I promise."

Soon, it's time for us to go to training, so we walk out together and wait for the lift.

Kayly Scribbles  
The lift opens and no-one's there. _Shouldn't there be people in there?_ I think to myself, before Erestor walks up behind me.  
"Come on, Kayly. They're not going to wait for us _all_ day, you know."  
"Oh, OK!" And I hop onto the lift, followed by Erestor. The doors to the lift close and then I feel it begin to move. "This is going to be REALLY exciting!" I squeal, before Erestor snaps at me.  
"Kayly! You can't be like that! No-one will like you if you be like that! If you keep going the way you are, you'll be the first one who is killed in the arena! Do you know _nothing_ of these games?!"  
"Um..." I half whimper.  
"I'm sorry." His voice softens. "I just don't want to see you killed, especially not in the bloodbath. That's the worst bit of the Hunger Games. The idea of training is to learn how to keep yourself safe and survive and..."  
"Erestor?"  
"And kill."

After a long pause, the door opens again and there is a blond girl and a blond boy standing there. "Hey! I saw you on the train!" I say as she steps carefully into the lift. "Hi! I'm Kayly! And we're all going to die!"  
"You wanna shut up?!" she yells at me.  
"Huh?"  
"If you don't shut up, you'll be the first person to die. I'll make sure of that!" _Gulp_.  
"Sorry..." I murmur.  
"You will be."  
"Well that wasn't very nice." I whisper to Erestor, and she hears me and glares at me.  
"I would listen to her, you know." He whispers back, and I nod.

A few minutes later, the door opens and there's a girl with dark blond-ish hair and a boy with frizzy-afro-ish-black hair standing there. "Hi! I'm Kayly! And we're all going to die!"  
"And you're actually happy about that?!" she snaps at me.  
"Yeah!"  
"Right..." Why did she extend the 'i' as if I'm crazy? _Maybe because you __**are**__ crazy..._ Says a voice in my head. NO I'M NOT! I yell back to it in my head. Sometimes I hate my brain...

_**A/N: Now switching to third person, because all four tributes are in the same place. Thanks for reading! Harriett & Victorie**_

When Abie and Pippin arrived at the training centre, District 6, District 12 and District 10 were the last three districts to arrive. When they were there, all 24 tributes were allowed to begin training. The training centre was made up of stations; Edible Plants, Sword Fighting, Knife Throwing, Bow and Arrow Practice, Agility Practice, Knot Tying, and Camouflage.

The girl from District 12 walks over to the Edible Plants station, and Abie Karimloo, District 6, decides to join her.  
The girl from District 2 begins at the Sword Fighting station, and Kayly Scribbles, District 3, decides to have a go there too.  
No one, except Ellie Rouke, District 4, makes at start at the Bow and Arrow Practice.  
Leah Oakley, District 7, spots the Girl from District 1 at the Knife Throwing station, and decides that she's up for a bit of friendly competition.

Knife Throwing  
"Hi." Leah says, politely.  
"What do you want?" District 1 snaps.  
"Nothing, just a bit of... competition." The girl pauses.  
"Alright, then."

District 1 throws first. Her knife lands neatly, just millimetres from bulls-eye.  
District 7 throws next. Her knife lands dead centre. "Bulls-eye." District 1's jaw drops.  
"How...? You're not..."  
"A career? No. I'm _not_ like you. But not only careers know how to protect themselves." District 1 remains shell-shocked. "My name's Leah Oakley. What's yours?"  
"Glimmer."

Sword Fighting  
"You're not serious?" District 2 asks, when she sees Kayly brandishing a sword, wrong.  
"What?"  
" I mean, I know you're not a career, but surely everyone knows how to brandish a sword... _Properly_?"  
"Well I'm not everyone."

Edible Plants  
"Hi." Abie says to District 12.  
"Hi."  
"I'm Abie, District 6."  
"Katniss, District 12."  
"What's this one?" Asks Abie, pointing at a plant.  
"That's Katniss."  
"You were named after a plant?"  
"Yes. Katniss is safe to eat."  
"Thanks."  
"No problem." Katniss looks over to Camouflage. The boy from District 12 has painted himself to look like a tree, and is blending in with the wall, perfectly.  
"Who's _that_?"  
"That's the guy from my district. Peeta."  
"Oh, do you two get along?"  
"Kind of."  
"Hey, Nightlock. That's poisonous, right?"  
"Yeah. I wouldn't eat that."  
"Neither would I."  
"Hey, what's this one? I've never seen it before."  
"I'm not sure."  
"Hmm..."

Bow and Arrow Practice  
_'Finally, I'm in my element.'_ Ellie thinks to herself as she picks up a bow and quiver of arrows. She sets her first arrow on the bow string an aims 2 millimetres above the target's forehead. She lands it dead centre of the target's forehead. She sets a second arrow, takes aim 2 millimetres above the centre of the targest heart, and lands it dead centre.  
"You seem really good at that." Ellie spins around, third arrow poised on the bow string.  
"Oh, it's _you_."  
"And you're you."  
"What are you doing here, District 7?" Ellie snapped, the disgust clear in her voice.  
"Well, I beat District 1 at Knife Throwing, and thought I might challenge District 4 at Bow and Arrow Practice."  
"You've got to be _joking_?"  
"I just thought that if we act _normal_, no one will suspect."  
"Fine."

Leah takes her own bow and quiver of arrows. She lands her first arrow half a millimetre below Ellie's first arrow. Leah's second arrow splits Ellie's second arrow in half. Leah shots a third arrow and lands it right in the place that hurts most (Imagining the target is male).  
In anger, Ellie aims her third arrow at Leah's third, but misses the target completely, and her arrow finds it's place in the wall.

"Nice try, _career_." Leah laughs, but stops when Ellie turns on her.  
"_If you **dare** speak to me like that again, you'll regret it_!"  
"I'll try." And Leah walks off, leaving Ellie in a rage.  
"_What are you all staring at_?!" To avoid her anger, all of the other 22 tributes turn away from Ellie and carry on with what they were doing.


	9. Mentoring continues

Leah Oakley  
"What were you _thinking_?!" Frodo yells "She's a _career_!"  
"It was just a bit of fun..."  
"A bit of fun," Our mentor, Terrance Perry, begins, "Could bring you to be the first tribute to be killed in the arena." I don't want him to be right, but he is, unfortunately for me. However, the career I wound up was only acting. We have an alliance, but we can't let anyone know until we're in the arena. I love Terrance, I really respect him, but this is just one thing I will _never _tell him.  
"I know, I'm sorry."  
"And it's my job to make sure you survive." I look up at him as if to say _'one, if not both, of us is going to die, anyway, you know' _and he seems to understand me, as he says; "For as long as possible, anyway."  
"I know." I say. "It won't happen again." I_t might not, though._  
"Right." Terrance eyes me, suspiciously. "Would you like to be mentored together, or separately?"  
"I don't mind." I tell them.  
"Separately." Says Frodo.  
"Leah?" Terrance says. "That okay with you?"  
"Yeah, that's fine."  
"Alright then. Frodo, I will work with you first, Leah, if you could go and work with Zelda?"  
"Sure. See you in 20." I say as I walk over to where Zelda is stood, waiting for me.

"Hi there, Leah."  
"Hi, Zelda."  
"I heard about what happened in training."  
"Yeah, whatever. So, what are you mentoring me about?"  
"I'm going to help you prepare for your interview with Caesar Flickerman, of course."  
"Interview?" Zelda nods, nervously. "Awesome."  
"I'll be telling you how to walk, stand and sit. Terrance will help with what to say."  
"Right. So, how do I walk, stand and sit, then?"  
"First, you walk at a steady pace towards Caesar and politely shake his hand." We practice this many times, pretending Zelda is Caesar, before she's convinced that I have the technique right. Then, Zelda teaches me to sit 'like a lady'. After 20 minutes, I find myself swapping places with Frodo.

"Hello, Leah."  
"Terrance."  
"Do you know what sort of things you are going to say?"  
"Not a clue."  
"Well, shall we start with the truth? The past, perhaps?" Although it is a simple, harmless question, it lights a spark in me and I anger.  
"_You don't know what happened in my past, and you never will_!" I snap.  
"Alright then, how about your family?" I calm a little, but that spark is still lit.  
"I live with my Mother, Father, Brother and Sister."  
"How old are your siblings and what are their names?"  
"My brother in Luke, he is twelve, and my sister is Lily, she is also twelve. They're twins."  
"And why did you volunteer for the Hunger Games?"  
"To save my little sister's life."  
"Brilliant." Terrance stops the quick-fire questions. "If you can answer like that about your home and family life, you should be fine." I nod. "Anything else you could tell us about? Other family members? Friends? Anything." I pause to think a moment.  
"There's not really anything I can talk about."  
"Well, you should be fine, anyway."

Ellie Rouke  
"URGH! I can't _believe_ her! How _dare_ she show me up for a fool?!"  
"Elanor, calm down." Legolas attempts.  
"Calm down? I'd like to see how you'd react, if that was _you_! Then _I'd_ be the one telling _you_ to calm down!"  
"Elanor, this is probably what she wants." Says our mentor, Lorena Craun, last year's victor. "Remember, you're a career. Others will try to find out your weaknesses. Don't let her get to you."  
"_Weaknesses_?! What were _you're_ weaknesses?"  
"Well, that would be telling, now, wouldn't it?" _Gee, she's so calm and collected._ "Now, for your interviews with Caesar Flickerman, would you like to be mentored together or separately?"  
"I don't care." I tell her.  
"Neither do I." Says Legolas.  
"Together it is, then." Lorena takes a notebook and pen and scribbles a couple of notes, before turning back to us. "Caesar will want to know about your family and home lives. What will you start by talking about, Legolas?"  
"I live with my father and my brother, Aragorn Thranduilion. I have no pets, and we train every day after school. At school, we find girls swooning over us, but neither of us have yet found the right person."  
"Good. Now Elanor, what will you tell Caesar?"  
"I live with my mother, and my Yorkshire Terrier, named Fang. Fang is my life, along with my training. I train every other day, from until . Most training sessions are until 6:pm, I train 2 and a half hours longer, but less days. At school, all of the boys ask me to Prom. I say maybe, but never go with any of them."  
"Good. Now, Caesar will also want to know if you have any secret plans for the Games. What will you tell him, Legolas?"  
"Even if I did have any secret plans, I would never tell. But I don't."  
"Elanor?"  
"I might, but I wouldn't tell, even if I did, so you will never know."  
"Good. Now, if you would like to proceed, Amira will continue your mentoring."

Legolas and I walk over to where our Escort, Armira Ligon in waiting patiently for us. "Ah, Elanor, Legolas. Come, sit."  
"Hello Amira." Says Legolas, contrarily, I say nothing.  
"Well, You both seem to be sitting perfectly, to be on TV. So, let's see how you stand." Legolas and I stand up. "Ooh, not so perfect." Amira gasps. "Well, there's only one thing for it." Amira alters our positins, making me stand taller, and making Legolas stand with his arm by his sides, rather than behind his back. "Lovely. And remember, Legolas, broad shoulders."  
"I will, Amira."  
"Well then, with that said, your mentoring is over. Perfectly in time for supper."

Abie Karimloo  
"Well, that was eventful, wouldn't you agree, Pip?" I say to Pippin, waiting for our Mentor, Lori Cooper, and our Escort, Ninfa Oliphant, to come for our mentoring.  
"Yep. Who would dare to upset a career?" He replies.  
"Obviously the girl from District 7."  
"Clearly."  
"Lovely, you'r both here, already!" Lori exclaims, as they both turn the corner.  
"Yes, they were on time, which is the one thing you failed!" Says Ninfa. "Time Keeping, is one of the most important things, Lori! You _must_ remember this?"  
"Yes, Ninfa, time keeping is important, blah blah blah. However, right now, we should focus on Abigail and Peregrin. Not me. Okay?"  
"Fine, fine, you've wasted enough time, already! Now, get on with mentoring the poor children!" Ninfa instructs, before walking away and preparing things for us.  
"Sorry about that." Says Lori.  
"It's okay, You weren't all that late." I say to her, sorry that Ninfa had snapped at her.  
"Thank you, Abigail. That's so nice."  
"Pleas, call me Abie."  
"Sorry, Abie."  
"So, I'm supposed to be mentoring you for your interview with Caesar Flickerman, but as you can probably see, I'm not the best at this stuff. And plus, you've watched the Hunger games at home, so, why don't you just go over to Ninfa and work out how you're going to stand and sit? After all, I'm only supposed to help you fingure out how to speak, but you're a clever couple. Perhaps you can figure that out yourselves. Right?"  
"I guess." Says Pippin.  
"Yeah, what he said." I add, stunned.  
"Great! Off you go then." Lori says, with a smile. Pippin and I stand up, and walk over to where Ninfa Oliphant is waiting for us.

"Well that was quick." Ninfa says, as we stand in front of her.  
"Was it?"  
"Hmm. Well, never mind, we need to sort out the way you two are going to sit and stand during your interview with Caesar Filckerman. So, you are both standing wro..." She begins, before stopping herself and taking in our posture and gait. "Perfectly." Pointing to the couch, she says, "Let's see how you both sit." When we sit down, her jaw drops. "Unbelievable. It comes naturally to you both. Well, you should be fine for your interview. Now then, let's go for supper."

Kayly Scribbles  
"That was _hilarious_!" I exclaim, as Erestor and I walk down the corridor, towards where Kieron Valce, our Mentor, and Zandra Cecil, our Escort, are waiting for us.  
"Kayly, you understand that you can never do that, right?" He replies, with a worried tone to his voice.  
"Aw, why not?"  
"You'll get your self killed. That's why. Especially if you do that to a career. Do you understand?"  
"But..."  
"Erestor's right, Kayly." Kieron says, as I almost walk into him. "Although it was a funny sight."  
"Wait..." Erestor pauses in confusion.  
"We got to watch the whole thing." Kieron tells us with a massive grin plastered across his face. "I was just like you, when I was in the games, Kayly. And what happened in trining today was AWESOME!" I begin to laugh, having not known how funny our mentor would be. "So. When I had _my_ interview with Caesar, he wanted to know _everything_. And I _mean_ everything! Seriously, he wanted to know all about my home life, all about my school, all about my family and friends, and he wanted to know about everything I felt when I was reaped. We've never had anyone react the way I reacted when I was reaped, until you. And that was awesome. So, you guys think about those things that I just said that aesar wanted to know abou me, and you'll be fine. Remeber, he wants to know _everything._ Just bare that in mind. See you guys!"  
"Bye, Kieron." Says Erestor, slighting weirded out.  
"See ya later, Alligator!" I say.  
"In a while, Crocodlie." Kieron replies, with another huge grin. _Okay,_ I think, _This guy is oficially **awesome!**_  
"Hey, Erestor! Wait up!"

As Erestor walks over to Zandra Cecil, I run. "No running, Miss Scribbles!" Zandra shouts.  
"Sorry." I pant.  
"Right, for your interview, you must stand and sitt correctly, after all, you'll be on live Television."  
"Pfft."  
"Miss Scribbles," Zandra snaps, "You can't just 'pfftp these things away!"  
"Why not?!"  
"Because they are very important and, for young persons like yourselves, require a lot of training and practice! Now, do you have any other inappropriate outbursts?" I shake my head, not in truth, but in fear. "Good. Now let's continue." Erestor nods, and shoots me a deathly glare. "Right. I don't know how Mr Valce was with you, but knowing him, I will be very different. I will be demanding, impatient and very strict. Any questions?" We both shake our heads. "Good. Now, during you interview with Mr Flickerman, you must stand tall, with straight backs and your arms by your sides. Show me." We do as she says, but still she feels the need to alter my position. "You must be perfectly straight, Miss Scribbles."  
"I am straight!" I complain. "You're hurting me!"  
"You are _not_ straight, I can assure you. Stop lying." I don't say anything more. "Now," Zandra continues, when she's satisfied with how I stand. "Let's see how you look when you're sat down." We sit. "No, you're all wrong, _again_, Miss Scribbles. You must sit with a tall, straight back, and your hands folded in your lap! Sit up straight, I tell you!" _Gees, this woman is **scary**_**_!_**"Now, you're getting the hang of it, see. It just takes some encouragement. Now, you should both go for supper. Go on, and practice what I have said, until you get in right every time. Mr Novak, " She turns to Erestor, "Please ensure that Miss Scribbles gets her posture right! Now go."


	10. Training Intensifies

Leah Oakley  
"What were you _thinking_?!" Frodo yells "She's a _career_!"  
"It was just a bit of fun..."  
"A bit of fun," Our mentor, Terrance Perry, begins, "Could bring you to be the first tribute to be killed in the arena." I don't want him to be right, but he is, unfortunately for me. However, the career I wound up was only acting. We have an alliance, but we can't let anyone know until we're in the arena. I love Terrance, I really respect him, but this is just one thing I will _never _tell him.  
"I know, I'm sorry."  
"And it's my job to make sure you survive." I look up at him as if to say _'one, if not both, of us is going to die, anyway, you know' _and he seems to understand me, as he says; "For as long as possible, anyway."  
"I know." I say. "It won't happen again." I_t might not, though._  
"Right." Terrance eyes me, suspiciously. "Would you like to be mentored together, or separately?"  
"I don't mind." I tell them.  
"Separately." Says Frodo.  
"Leah?" Terrance says. "That okay with you?"  
"Yeah, that's fine."  
"Alright then. Frodo, I will work with you first, Leah, if you could go and work with Zelda?"  
"Sure. See you in 20." I say as I walk over to where Zelda is stood, waiting for me.

"Hi there, Leah."  
"Hi, Zelda."  
"I heard about what happened in training."  
"Yeah, whatever. So, what are you mentoring me about?"  
"I'm going to help you prepare for your interview with Caesar Flickerman, of course."  
"Interview?" Zelda nods, nervously. "Awesome."  
"I'll be telling you how to walk, stand and sit. Terrance will help with what to say."  
"Right. So, how do I walk, stand and sit, then?"  
"First, you walk at a steady pace towards Caesar and politely shake his hand." We practice this many times, pretending Zelda is Caesar, before she's convinced that I have the technique right. Then, Zelda teaches me to sit 'like a lady'. After 20 minutes, I find myself swapping places with Frodo.

"Hello, Leah."  
"Terrance."  
"Do you know what sort of things you are going to say?"  
"Not a clue."  
"Well, shall we start with the truth? The past, perhaps?" Although it is a simple, harmless question, it lights a spark in me and I anger.  
"_You don't know what happened in my past, and you never will_!" I snap.  
"Alright then, how about your family?" I calm a little, but that spark is still lit.  
"I live with my Mother, Father, Brother and Sister."  
"How old are your siblings and what are their names?"  
"My brother in Luke, he is twelve, and my sister is Lily, she is also twelve. They're twins."  
"And why did you volunteer for the Hunger Games?"  
"To save my little sister's life."  
"Brilliant." Terrance stops the quick-fire questions. "If you can answer like that about your home and family life, you should be fine." I nod. "Anything else you could tell us about? Other family members? Friends? Anything." I pause to think a moment.  
"There's not really anything I can talk about."  
"Well, you should be fine, anyway."

Ellie Rouke  
"URGH! I can't _believe_ her! How _dare_ she show me up for a fool?!"  
"Elanor, calm down." Legolas attempts.  
"Calm down? I'd like to see how you'd react, if that was _you_! Then _I'd_ be the one telling _you_ to calm down!"  
"Elanor, this is probably what she wants." Says our mentor, Lorena Craun, last year's victor. "Remember, you're a career. Others will try to find out your weaknesses. Don't let her get to you."  
"_Weaknesses_?! What were _you're_ weaknesses?"  
"Well, that would be telling, now, wouldn't it?" _Gee, she's so calm and collected._ "Now, for your interviews with Caesar Flickerman, would you like to be mentored together or separately?"  
"I don't care." I tell her.  
"Neither do I." Says Legolas.  
"Together it is, then." Lorena takes a notebook and pen and scribbles a couple of notes, before turning back to us. "Caesar will want to know about your family and home lives. What will you start by talking about, Legolas?"  
"I live with my father and my brother, Aragorn Thranduilion. I have no pets, and we train every day after school. At school, we find girls swooning over us, but neither of us have yet found the right person."  
"Good. Now Elanor, what will you tell Caesar?"  
"I live with my mother, and my Yorkshire Terrier, named Fang. Fang is my life, along with my training. I train every other day, from until . Most training sessions are until 6:pm, I train 2 and a half hours longer, but less days. At school, all of the boys ask me to Prom. I say maybe, but never go with any of them."  
"Good. Now, Caesar will also want to know if you have any secret plans for the Games. What will you tell him, Legolas?"  
"Even if I did have any secret plans, I would never tell. But I don't."  
"Elanor?"  
"I might, but I wouldn't tell, even if I did, so you will never know."  
"Good. Now, if you would like to proceed, Amira will continue your mentoring."

Legolas and I walk over to where our Escort, Armira Ligon in waiting patiently for us. "Ah, Elanor, Legolas. Come, sit."  
"Hello Amira." Says Legolas, contrarily, I say nothing.  
"Well, You both seem to be sitting perfectly, to be on TV. So, let's see how you stand." Legolas and I stand up. "Ooh, not so perfect." Amira gasps. "Well, there's only one thing for it." Amira alters our positins, making me stand taller, and making Legolas stand with his arm by his sides, rather than behind his back. "Lovely. And remember, Legolas, broad shoulders."  
"I will, Amira."  
"Well then, with that said, your mentoring is over. Perfectly in time for supper."

Abie Karimloo  
"Well, that was eventful, wouldn't you agree, Pip?" I say to Pippin, waiting for our Mentor, Lori Cooper, and our Escort, Ninfa Oliphant, to come for our mentoring.  
"Yep. Who would dare to upset a career?" He replies.  
"Obviously the girl from District 7."  
"Clearly."  
"Lovely, you'r both here, already!" Lori exclaims, as they both turn the corner.  
"Yes, they were on time, which is the one thing you failed!" Says Ninfa. "Time Keeping, is one of the most important things, Lori! You _must_ remember this?"  
"Yes, Ninfa, time keeping is important, blah blah blah. However, right now, we should focus on Abigail and Peregrin. Not me. Okay?"  
"Fine, fine, you've wasted enough time, already! Now, get on with mentoring the poor children!" Ninfa instructs, before walking away and preparing things for us.  
"Sorry about that." Says Lori.  
"It's okay, You weren't all that late." I say to her, sorry that Ninfa had snapped at her.  
"Thank you, Abigail. That's so nice."  
"Pleas, call me Abie."  
"Sorry, Abie."  
"So, I'm supposed to be mentoring you for your interview with Caesar Flickerman, but as you can probably see, I'm not the best at this stuff. And plus, you've watched the Hunger games at home, so, why don't you just go over to Ninfa and work out how you're going to stand and sit? After all, I'm only supposed to help you fingure out how to speak, but you're a clever couple. Perhaps you can figure that out yourselves. Right?"  
"I guess." Says Pippin.  
"Yeah, what he said." I add, stunned.  
"Great! Off you go then." Lori says, with a smile. Pippin and I stand up, and walk over to where Ninfa Oliphant is waiting for us.

"Well that was quick." Ninfa says, as we stand in front of her.  
"Was it?"  
"Hmm. Well, never mind, we need to sort out the way you two are going to sit and stand during your interview with Caesar Filckerman. So, you are both standing wro..." She begins, before stopping herself and taking in our posture and gait. "Perfectly." Pointing to the couch, she says, "Let's see how you both sit." When we sit down, her jaw drops. "Unbelievable. It comes naturally to you both. Well, you should be fine for your interview. Now then, let's go for supper."

Kayly Scribbles  
"That was _hilarious_!" I exclaim, as Erestor and I walk down the corridor, towards where Kieron Valce, our Mentor, and Zandra Cecil, our Escort, are waiting for us.  
"Kayly, you understand that you can never do that, right?" He replies, with a worried tone to his voice.  
"Aw, why not?"  
"You'll get your self killed. That's why. Especially if you do that to a career. Do you understand?"  
"But..."  
"Erestor's right, Kayly." Kieron says, as I almost walk into him. "Although it was a funny sight."  
"Wait..." Erestor pauses in confusion.  
"We got to watch the whole thing." Kieron tells us with a massive grin plastered across his face. "I was just like you, when I was in the games, Kayly. And what happened in trining today was AWESOME!" I begin to laugh, having not known how funny our mentor would be. "So. When I had _my_ interview with Caesar, he wanted to know _everything_. And I _mean_ everything! Seriously, he wanted to know all about my home life, all about my school, all about my family and friends, and he wanted to know about everything I felt when I was reaped. We've never had anyone react the way I reacted when I was reaped, until you. And that was awesome. So, you guys think about those things that I just said that aesar wanted to know abou me, and you'll be fine. Remeber, he wants to know _everything._ Just bare that in mind. See you guys!"  
"Bye, Kieron." Says Erestor, slighting weirded out.  
"See ya later, Alligator!" I say.  
"In a while, Crocodlie." Kieron replies, with another huge grin. _Okay,_ I think, _This guy is oficially __**awesome!**_  
"Hey, Erestor! Wait up!"

As Erestor walks over to Zandra Cecil, I run. "No running, Miss Scribbles!" Zandra shouts.  
"Sorry." I pant.  
"Right, for your interview, you must stand and sitt correctly, after all, you'll be on live Television."  
"Pfft."  
"Miss Scribbles," Zandra snaps, "You can't just 'pfftp these things away!"  
"Why not?!"  
"Because they are very important and, for young persons like yourselves, require a lot of training and practice! Now, do you have any other inappropriate outbursts?" I shake my head, not in truth, but in fear. "Good. Now let's continue." Erestor nods, and shoots me a deathly glare. "Right. I don't know how Mr Valce was with you, but knowing him, I will be very different. I will be demanding, impatient and very strict. Any questions?" We both shake our heads. "Good. Now, during you interview with Mr Flickerman, you must stand tall, with straight backs and your arms by your sides. Show me." We do as she says, but still she feels the need to alter my position. "You must be perfectly straight, Miss Scribbles."  
"I am straight!" I complain. "You're hurting me!"  
"You are _not_ straight, I can assure you. Stop lying." I don't say anything more. "Now," Zandra continues, when she's satisfied with how I stand. "Let's see how you look when you're sat down." We sit. "No, you're all wrong, _again_, Miss Scribbles. You must sit with a tall, straight back, and your hands folded in your lap! Sit up straight, I tell you!" _Gees, this woman is __**scary**_**_!_**"Now, you're getting the hang of it, see. It just takes some encouragement. Now, you should both go for supper. Go on, and practice what I have said, until you get in right every time. Mr Novak, " She turns to Erestor, "Please ensure that Miss Scribbles gets her posture right! Now go."


End file.
